Changanassery: A murder accused was arrested in Tamil Nadu 12 years after he stabbed a man in Kerala. Kollamparambil Roy, aged 48, had fled his hometown of Payippad near Changanassery with two women after a murder in 2006.

Roy ganged up with Kudathedu Binu to kill Lalan, a resident of Trikodithanam, during a festival at the Aramalakkunnu temple. Though the police arrested Binu and Roy, the first and second accused in the case, respectively, Roy managed to flee after he was let out on bail.

Binu has been sentenced to 10 years in jail by the Kottayam sessions court. He was a jailbird involved in several cases of theft, drug peddling and assaults when he was arrested in the murder case.

Roy had remained elusive until Kottayam superintendent of police Harishankar and team tracked him to Kodaikanal. Roy was accompanied by the two women who eloped with him. He had abandoned his wife and children. The police were helped by the relatives and friends of the women who handed over their mobile phone numbers to the investigators.

The cyber cell tracked the fugitive and his companions to a remote area near Attuvampetti in Dindigul district. Roy had been living in the area as a construction labourer. He was known as Joseph.

The investigation was spearheaded by deputy superintendent of police S Suresh Kumar. Roy has been remanded by a court in Kottayam.